Results

Senior Daniel Mizener (Mason, OH, Mason) and junior Ben Adams (Livonia, MI, Winston Churchill) both won individual titles for the Blue Streaks as John Carroll garnered a third place finish at the 2009 Ohio Athletic Conference Wrestling Championships Saturday at Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio.

John Carroll came into the meet harboring high expectations as it was hoping to have solved the health issues that had plagued the regular season. But without being able to claim a placewinner in four of the ten weight classes, the top of the OAC mountain proved too steep a climb for the Blue Streaks.

Heidelberg, with five champions and ten placewinners, won its fourth straight title with 101.0 points. Surprising Mount Union, with one champion and eight placewinners, vaulted to second with 68.5 points. John Carroll (61.5) and Ohio Northern (59.5) were the next two schools in line.

Mizener, who had come so close to an OAC title in each of the last two seasons, punched his long awaited ticket to the national tournamrnt by winning his first career conference weight class. Mizener defeated Sean Dreger of Mount Union, 8-0, in the semifinals before dispatching Josh Levy of Heidelberg by a 7-3 count.

Adams successfully defended his title with three victories. After pinning his first opponent, Adams avenged his only conference loss by edging Matt Alexander of Ohio Northern, 4-3 in the semifinals. he then dominated Mount Union's Chad Teague, 8-0, to win his second career OAC crown.

The Blue Streaks were hoping for more champions, but senior Elie Naoum (Solon, OH, Solon) at 125, sophomore Adam Kriwinsky (Chesterland, OH, University School) at 133 and senior Matt Harmon (River Forest, IL, Fenwick) at 197 all fell in their respective title bouts.

Naoum survived a sudden victory overtime duel with Wilmington's Donny Herrington in the semifinals, but dropped a 7-3 decision to defending champion jarrod Hoxie of Heidelberg in the 125-pound final.

Kriwinsky won both of his matches convincingly to reach the 133-pound championship, but suffered just his fourth loss of the year to top seeded Tony lawler of Heidelberg, 3-0. Two of Kriwinsky's four setbacks are to Lawler.

Harmon was seeded third at 197, but picked off second-seed Todd Neptune of host Muskingum, 7-2, in the semifinals. In the title match, Harmon trailed 3-0 heading into the third period  but could not stage a comeback in falling to top-seed Bill Schindel of Mount Union.

The only other  Blue Streak to reach a first or third place match was junior heavyweight Tim Lambert, who was 2-2 and finished fourth in his weight class.

John Carroll has now finished third or better in 19 of the 20 OAC Championship in which it has participated.